Essays that succeeded: The Conqueror's Highlight Reel

AN IMAGINATIVE AND DISCIPLINED WRITER who overcame her unease with a hard-to-pronounce surname when, in the midst of a tragic loss, found pride in her heritage—and in her unique gift

THE STEM-EDUCATED, SOCIAL SCIENCE-ORIENTED THINKER who saw in a shared passion for sailing a way to forge friendships in his weekend community while pondering the meaning of otherness

AN AVID ANGLER whose journey from a push-button rod on the dock to chasing tarpon at midnight helped him find unrivaled peace and independence on the water—free of his smartphone

AN ASPIRING MUSICAL-THEATER ACTOR who traced his inspiration to a family vacation to Disney World where his dad gave a joyful (and memorable) performance as an audience participant

A CONTEMPLATIVE PHILOSOPHER who devoured the writings of a self-development guru and put them into practice in his own journey to awareness and compassion toward himself and others

A MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE who learned the life-affirming lessons of compassion and forgiveness when, at 10, he experienced the profound stages of grief after losing his dog in a tragic accident

A COMMUNITY GARDENER who taught herself to cook in a time of stress and grew into a competent chef capable of braiding, into challah bread, both family tradition and self-affirmation

AN ALTRUISTIC READER-WRITER who used the insights she gained as a fixer of restaurant plumbing, customer disputes, and popcorn concessions to see that some conflicts are best avoided

THE POISED AND PASSIONATE SOCIAL-JUSTICE WARRIOR who discovered, in silent offerings of cut fruit at her bedroom door, a quiet, mother-daughter inheritance of perseverance and fortitude 

A MUSIC PRODUCER AND SONGWRITER who, staring reinvention in the face, saw that replenishing toilet paper and writing jingles would bring a second chance at creativity even sweeter than the first

A WRITER (AND TELLER) OF MAGICAL STORIES, who, in spinning tales of fairies and faraway lands, identified the origins of her abiding desire to write and produce films for human connection

THE SOCCER STAR who overcame shyness on the sidelines to become a celebrated player and a confidence-building coach to up-and-comers—all thanks to her dad’s early bribery-by-Slurpee

A LATE-BLOOMING PIANIST who discovered his preternatural talent via a rock opera, and subsequently reached the apex of music theory—and a profound sense of belonging therein

THE SELF-DIRECTED SCHOLAR AND CRITICAL THINKER whose rigorous classical education helped her interpret the world’s divine symmetry and persistent chaos with wonder and grace

A PRODIGIOUS GOLFER AND SPACENUT who learned on the fairways not only how to smoke a drive and sink a putt but also how to make fruitful conversation with every partner and opponent she met

THE INTUITIVE PHOTOGRAPHER who bravely reckoned with her own loss, witnessed its manifestation in the visual stories she captured, and found imperfect solace in the mystery of natural splendor

A VOLLEYBALLER FROM NEW YORK whose journey out of adolescence to maturity and self-awareness evolved over regular visits to her grandmother’s garden and porch swing down South

A LACROSSE GOALIE humbled not by the hard shots of his opponent’s attack but by the rising tide and rapid current in a Maine river where he got comfortable with discomfort

THE TRACK PHENOM who lost a race at Nationals to anxiety and learned that in addition to lacing up his spikes and affixing his stickers, a vital key to victory was to free himself and find the joy

A DYED-IN-THE-RED RAZORBACK FAN, VOLUNTEER, AND BASKETBALL CENTER who captained her team with an innovative communication style while serving as an earnest ambassador to her home state

THE POSTER CHILD FOR JOYFUL KINDNESS AND GIGGLING CREATIVITY who traced her destiny for educational greatness to a sassy pair of boots and the kindergarten teacher who noticed them

A BIG-WAVE-SEEKING POLYGLOT who discerned in her twin passions for surfing and reading the awesome power of nature and the inimitable value of a humbling wipe-out

A GOURMAND BY BIRTH who brought his love for food love to a local pizzeria where he, after scrubbing pots, learned to shape magnificent dough balls with patience and composure

THE THEATER-LOVER AND JAZZ SAXOPHONIST who, with paintbrush and drill, navigated a thicket of backdrops to stage-crew leadership via adaptation and improvisation  

A SELF-PROCLAIMED EXTROVERT WITH AMBITIONS IN MEDICINE who mastered a table-top game he learned from his family and made it the centerpiece of gatherings known for lively discourse

THE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTIST who brought creativity, curiosity, and humility to every endeavor, whether as physics tutor, temari instructor, or budding etymologist who invented his own language 

AN ARTIST, OUTDOORSWOMAN, AND ENVIRONMENTALIST who meditated on the deeply personal meaning of home, reveling in the restorative power of nature but also in the resilience within her

THE SPRINTER-SCHOLAR who examined her vulnerabilities and saw that she, not others, was her greatest foe of all, and that valuing her achievements was the surest path to sublime fulfillment

THE GAELIC-FOOTBALL ZEALOT AND ENGINEER who with patient perseverance shifted his way through self-doubt and frustration to the perfect ride on the manual transmission of the family’s VW 

A BEACH-LOVER AND ACCLAIMED PILLAR OF LOCAL VOLLEYBALL CULTURE who, in her status as super-friend, family organizer, and model big sister, developed into a disciplined and intuitive leader

THE NEW YORK RACONTEUR whose sense of self and evolution into young adulthood was inextricably entwined with his beloved city and the stories it spawned, especially on the subway

A SLEUTH ON A MISSION TO UNDERSTAND THE DUALITY OF HER IDENTITY, exploring one history only for it to spark an enlightenment about the other—and inspire advocacy and belonging

THE VETERAN VOLUNTEER AND RESOURCEFUL PRACTITIONER OF TOUGH LOVE who discerned the fulfillment she derived in helping others the foundation of a career in occupational therapy

A GIFTED MUSICIAN-COMPOSER, D.J., AND MATHS MAVEN who converted a coworker’s slur on a construction site into an opportunity for reflection and cross-cultural camaraderie—whilst scrubbing down a sewage pump 

 A CHESS-PLAYING SWIMMER whose rookie mistakes at a popular local pizza joint shaped him not only into a prized expediter in the “pie hole” but also a mentor to trainees under pressure 

THE CHAMPION VOLUNTEER AND COMPUTER SAVANT who engineered his way to confidence and personal achievement by mastering the devices needed not only to build games but also to control his destiny 

A WISE AND SELF-POSSESSED MYCOLOGY PRODIGY who derived his equanimity from farming plants, then mushrooms, under a grow light in his garage, yielding nutritious meals for family and neighbors 

A SPOTIFY FAN-FAVE AND DECORATED DEBATER who learned the most about herself not when busking or arguing but when she proved her mettle on the family farm harvesting a tart and tiny fruit

THE RECOVERING TIKTOK ADDICT who found her cause while scrolling through the unkind commentary on the platform’s bikini frontier and became an advocate for a healthy-body confidence